


R3YL0

by Theyna_Shipper



Series: Star Wars One-Shots [25]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Artificial Intelligence, Based on a Tumblr Post, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, One Shot, Other, Rey Needs A Hug, Robot Falling In Love, Robots, Soft Ben Solo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:55:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25137274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theyna_Shipper/pseuds/Theyna_Shipper
Summary: Rey is a very empathetic cashier at First Order Department Stores. KYL0 is the sentient AI installed to make her job easier. Over a course of months, Rey befriends the AI and grows attached to him.But one day, Rey learns that KYL0 has fallen in love with her.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Star Wars One-Shots [25]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1637683
Comments: 13
Kudos: 113





	R3YL0

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this Tumblr Post: https://www.pinterest.co.kr/pin/721279696561385463/
> 
> I hope you enjoy this little fic!

Rey takes another sip of her coffee in the hopes of keeping herself awake during the presentation. The new AI being installed at the store looks helpful, but Rey doesn’t need a two-hour seminar to learn how to use it, not with her electrical engineering major (which is being wasted at her minimum-wage First Order job). 

“KYL0, from the R3N company, is a major step in emotional sentient AI. It will learn from the store and help you with common tasks, eventually learning how to do even harder ones. Additionally, it is connected to the internet and the cell network to facilitate communication. Be sure to utilize KYL0 frequently so he can learn new skills!”

‘Sentient AI’ sounds dangerous, but hey, it’s not _her_ phone getting plugged into the network. Honestly, if the robot uprising happens, Rey might join the robots. 

When KYL0 does get installed, it’s actually pretty useful. Its voice recognition software often helps her find items for customers faster than she can remember them. 

“Thank you,” she whispers to KYL0 as the robot pours change without her needing to count it- one of her least favorite tasks. 

And when he manages to convince a customer that a sale on beans ended a month ago, it’s “you are my hero”. 

And when his output starts buffering, it somehow becomes “come on, sweetie, you’ve got this”.

Maybe sentient AI- with its polite voice and helpful services- is more dangerous than she thought.

* * *

Three months after KYL0 is installed, the Wi-Fi in the entire store crashes. Then gets back up. Then crashes again. And again. 

Poor KYL0 is trying his hardest to keep up with Rey even as he keeps cutting in and out (He’s a he now, not an it). For the most part, she returns to manual until IT deals with the problem. But she quickly learns how much she’d come to rely on KYL0, how much longer all the functions took. 

When someone comes with some complicated coupon-stacking with a membership and several other deals that she definitely could not process herself, she has to pray KYL0 can stay working for five minutes. 

“You can do this, baby,” she coos. The customer frowns at her. “Sorry, it’s the Wi-Fi, messing with our AI. You start to anthropomorphize them in your head, you know?” Actually, Rey’s the only worker who has, but surely people at least understand the concept. This customer, however, shrugs noncommittally. 

“Please, Kylo? Just one calculation. I know, you need a break, don’t we all?” She sighs as she re-inputs the key. “Just one for me, please, sweetheart?” 

Just when Rey is about to give up and attempt a manual calculation, KYL0’s screen displays all the data she needs, and keeps it up long enough to serve the customer. 

“I love you, Kylo,” Rey whispers weakly when the transaction is complete. The AI chirps happily before dying, and refusing to return for the rest of the day.

* * *

“I missed you, sweetie,” Rey sighs to her KYL0 the next morning, when the Wi-Fi is up and running again. “You can’t just walk out on me like that!”

KYL0’s monitor displays a message: _I missed you too._

Rey starts. KYL0 often sends her messages, but they’re usually formulaic, like _Thank you!_ or _Good work._ or _Have a nice weekend._ This must be the learning mechanic, figuring out how to respond to new situations. 

“Well, that’s awfully sweet of you, Kylo. Maybe you should tell that to Verizon so they’ll give the mall better internet.”

_I can do that for you._

Rey frowns. Learning mechanic must still be a little behind, she decides, and ignores the comment. 

The next day, her mall Wi-Fi goes from three to four bars. When she asks Rose about it, she confirms that everyone in First Order, and some people in the other stores are getting better connection. 

“I doubt you had anything to do with this, Kylo, but I appreciate it nonetheless,” Rey tells her robot. 

_Anything for you._

That’s a new one. “Aw, how sweet!”

“Is Rey talking to her boyfriend again?” Poe calls. “What kind BSG crap is this?”

“Shut up, Poe. I’m just appreciating the fact that I have a _helpful_ coworker for once.”

“All I’m saying is, _my_ KYL0 doesn’t send me personalized messages of appreciation.”

“Then maybe you should be nicer to it,” Rose calls. “Come on, get back to work.”

“Alright, KYL0, let’s do this,” Rey says.

* * *

Black Friday is, and always will be, the bane of her existence. When she moved to America, she had hoped all the stories told about it on TV were false. 

They were not. 

She is, however, grateful for the company-wide announcement that Black Friday workers will be paid double time from now on, and says as much to KYL0. 

_I thought you would like that._

“You know me too well,” Rey sighs. “I should introduce you to my Roomba. She’s at my ankles the minute I step in the kitchen.”

 _You’re the only friend I need._

Ok, that’s oddly specific. Maybe there’s a program to prevent interaction with other robots? Weird.

* * *

“You’re lucky you’re a robot, Kylo,” Rey remarks. “Don’t have to worry about student loans, or rent, or money, or any of that…”

_Do you need more money?_

“Sure do, sweetie, but there’s not much you can do about that, is there?”

Unless KYL0 can announce company-wide raises for minimum-wage employees. He can’t do that, can he?

* * *

“Rey, did you hear the news?” Rose asks as she pops by her desk. “Company-wide layoffs. Stores closing. No one knows why, profits are still good, especially since we added Curbside.”

“No,” Rey whispers. “God, I can’t afford to lose this job. I’m barely making it as it is!”

“Yeah, well, you’d better pray for a miracle, because this branch isn’t one of the top tier ones. I’ll put in a good word for you at other companies, if you need, though.”

Rey looks down at her KYL0. “Is this your order of miracle, sweetie?”

KYL0’s screen remains blank.

* * *

**Snoke, CEO of First Order Department Stores, Exposed for Embezzling Company Funds, Planning Layoffs To Line His Own Pockets**

“How is it every time Rey complains about something to that robot while she’s at work, it instantly gets fixed?” Poe sighs. 

“I guess I just have a guardian angel,” Rey replies, looking down at her KYL0. He can’t have anything to do with this… can he?

No, Rey decides, not when an entire string of completely unrelated CEOs and others executives get exposed for corruption- improving the lives of many minimum-wage workers like herself. Even an internet-connected sentient AI can’t have _that_ much power. And he certainly wouldn’t use it on her. 

“But I don’t appreciate you any less, Kylo,” Rey assures her robot friend, who chirps happily in response.

* * *

_You weren’t here yesterday._

Rey looks down at KYL0’s screen, noting the difference from the usual greeting. “Um, yeah,” she says. “I was sick, so Kaydel filled in. But I’m back now.” She hates it when her KYL0 looks sad, and apparently that happens when she leaves. “How could you tell it wasn’t me?”

_She wasn’t as nice._

“Aw, that’s too bad. Well, I guess we make a good team, huh?”

_Yes._

_I love you._

Rey is about to turn away when she sees the second message. She recalls saying that to him, once or twice, while she was tired and nervous, so maybe he is parroting it back?

But KYL0 is a smart robot. She doesn’t know what he has learned.

* * *

Rey notices a conspicuous absence at her register one morning. “Hey, where’s Kylo?”

“They were just betas, remember?” Rose says. “They’re going back to the lab for analysis. We have to go back to our old machines for now. We’ll survive, I suppose.”

It feels stupid to admit, but Rey got attached to KYL0, and she misses his encouragement and company through the day, not to mention his aid in dealing with customers. Hopefully she’ll have her friend back soon.

* * *

_**From: R3N Labs** _

_**Subj: KYL0 Emotional Programing: Urgent** _

_**Ms. Kanata,** _

_**I understand that a number of KYL0s were recently installed at your branch of First Order Department Stores. These were betas, designed to test out how their emotional processes evolved over time.** _

_**We regret to inform you that your KYL0 unit appears to have gone above and beyond usual capabilities, and developed some form of romantic attachment to you. Needless to say, we cannot allow this to continue, and would like to speak with you so we can learn how to prevent this from happening in the future.** _

_**Thank you for your understanding.** _

_**Ben C. Solo  
R3N Labs  
Head of KYL0 Division** _

Rey has to read the email ten times before she understands. KYL0 had somehow… fallen in love with her? That didn’t make any sense. She did encourage him to try his hardest… and she was nice to him… and she did practically treat him like a human… and liked it when he encouraged her…

Oh no.

KYL0 is in love with her. And it is her fault. And now she’s going to lose her friend.

* * *

_It’s a little funny,_ Rey thinks as she enters the sleek boardroom of R3N labs, _My first friendship that was ruined by romance was with a robot._

Not that funny, though. 

Not the confusion that she somehow managed to advance a sentient AI far enough to fall in love with her. Not the guilt that they have to unplug KYL0 because of her. None of that is funny. 

“Ms. Kanata,” a red-haired man in a suit greets her. “Mr. Solo told us about your… situation.”

“We regret it immensely,” a tall blonde woman continues. “This must have been very hard for you! And it’s very strange for us.” Her voice practically drips with fake sympathy. 

“Have a seat? Armitage Hux, by the way,” the red-haired man introduces himself. 

Rey sits down cautiously. “So, what did you want to ask me?”

“We just wanted to learn how it could have happened that KYL0 developed these attachments to you,” the woman (who introduces herself as Phasma) says. “I mean, you’re no expert at working with robots. You’re just a cashier.”

Rey’s spine prickles angrily. “I was nice to Kylo. I talked to him like he was a person. Didn’t yell at him, didn’t give him a hard time when he was slow. If that’s what made him fall in love with me, you should program higher standards.”

Phasma purses her lips. “You sound like you rather grew to like your KYL0. Is there any chance whatsoever that you came to reciprocate these feelings for it?”

Rey stands up so quickly her chair hits the floor. “I didn’t fall in love with a robot.”

“Of course not, Ms. Kanata. But-”

“I liked Kylo. We were friends. But I didn’t love him.”

As she storms out of the conference room, she hates how much it hurts to say that.

* * *

“Don’t talk to me,” she hisses as she walks by someone, before crashing directly into him as she miscalculates the size of the hallway. 

“Sorry!” he exclaims, grabbing her arm to steady her. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, I just-”

He notices the room she just came out of. “Are you Rey Kanata?” 

“Um, yes,” Rey mutters, suddenly embarrassed. Had her story spread around the whole company? “The meeting-”

“Did Phasma and Hux bother you?”

She nods nervously. “Their questions weren’t- kind.”

“I’ll talk to them. But I hope we can continue the meeting?” Rey is confused. “Oh. I’m Ben Solo. I believe we exchanged emails?”

“Oh.” For some reason she expected Ben Solo to be… old? A cave-dweller? Not polite and young. “Yes. Um. Yeah.”

Ben guides Rey back to the conference room. “Now then, perhaps you can tell me about your experience with KYL0?”

* * *

Ben is polite, gentle, and understanding when she explains what happens. How she was nice to KYL0, a little too emotional maybe, how his personal messages slowly changed. It feels wrong to do an autopsy on a friendship like that, but Ben guides her through it slowly, and she realizes that maybe the empathetic AI he designed had some of his own quiet and kind personality. 

They meet once a month to discuss ways they can improve KYL0 but limit its emotional capabilities to prevent another incident, which some of the R3N employees have nicknamed ‘ReyL0’. 

Slowly, Rey starts to forget about the time a robot fell in love with her. About the time a robot was her best friend. She gets to know her co-workers Rose, Poe, and Finn better, and makes some human friends.

She turns off Siri. That hits a little too close to home.

* * *

Almost one year after her first meeting with R3N labs, Rey gets another email from Ben Solo. 

_**Rey,** _

_**Thank you so much for your help redesigning our KYL02 AI units. It’s been a strange year for all of us, but I think we have made leaps and bounds in AI technology and ethics, and I owe at all to you.** _

_**Congratulations on your new job at Google, by the way. I don’t suppose you’d let R3N poach you any time soon? We’d love to have you.** _

_**Perhaps I can get you dinner sometime to celebrate the end of all this. Let me know if you’re free.** _

_**Talk soon,  
Ben** _

Two weeks later, Rey is eating dinner with Ben at her favorite restaurant, Khan’s. The anniversary syndrome is very real: she feels awkward thinking about KYL0, even misses her robot co-worker a little. While it’s nowhere close to _Battlestar Galactica_ , the experience has certainly made Rey more suspicious of robots. No smart thermostats or doorbells grace her house yet- nor anytime soon. 

Ben makes it easy to forget that- asking about her new job in the self-driving car industry, showing her pictures of his pomeranian BeeBee, and generally being as wonderful as always. 

After dinner, they go for a walk in the outdoor mall across the street, and they finally talk about KYL0 a little. 

“I mean, you must still be confused how hyper-intelligent a robot fell in love with me,” she laughs nervously. “Just a nobody working a cash register.”

“Not to me,” Ben replies softly. “It’s no mystery. For me… it’s clear how someone could fall in love with you after spending time with you… getting to know you…”

“Ben,” Rey whispers uncertainly as she realizes what he is trying to say. 

“I understand if it’s too soon for you. Or if I would remind you of something uncomfortable. But this past year has been- well, I’ve really liked getting to know you.” Rey can sense how nervous he is. “Listen, KYL0 was a strange and painful blip in our lives. But it brought us together. I hope that’s not just a blip.”

She can’t pretend she hasn’t thought about Ben. He is kind to her, her age, and not unattractive. But she assumed he would think she was strange for developing such a strong attachment to a robot. That once this was over he would stop talking to each other. 

Now she doesn’t know what to say. How to express herself. What words to use. 

_But Ben’s not a robot,_ she realizes. She doesn’t need to use the perfect words to say what she means, to have him understand. He does not need the perfect words from her. 

Instead, she says it with a kiss.

**Author's Note:**

> Khan's is a real Vietnamese restaurant in the Bay Area. There is an open-air mall across the street from it.
> 
> I'd love your comments!


End file.
